Denny:

I know Pat said this will be addressed at your up coming meeting. Does this mean that in the present 921 the level of certainty, as to the cause of the fire, only needs to exceed 50%? Would this meet the requirements of our criminal system, which requires beyond a reasonable doubt is more restrictive than the document? The civil law in Louisiana calls for the cause to reach the level of being beyond any other reasonable hypothesis. Does the probable at greater than 50% meet these requirements.

If the document suggests that we not identify a single point of origin without conclusive evidence then how can we identify the cause of a fire with the evidence not being conclusive. From what the person said he can have a cause with a rating of 50.01% and another one with 49.99%. Would we want to send someone to jail or destroy their living on this little difference? It was my understanding that according to the scientific method that one must test all hypothese and there can be only one that past the test based on all the data. If there are more than one hypothesis that pass the test then should we not be labeling the cause as undetermined?

I know the committee is working on this subject but I was hoping there was some wording somewhere in the document that would clarify this question.

May I suggest instead of waiting until the next issue an Interim Amendment be issued by the committee.

Thanks

Jim